Shatterlight Coven
'''' Shatterlight Coven is a secretive sect made solely of magic-using Wild Elves. They live within the Wilds, using magic to keep the Spider Queens and their minions at bay. A very well-kept secret among their ranks is that they survived the spreading of Obscura beginning in 700BE and ending in 40AE. Since the world opened up to them once more with the Obscura retreated, their numbers have dropped drastically as members leave to explore the new world, or find forbidden love outside the folds of the Coven. Folklore - What the Coven Believes Aradia In a time before written history, Aradia created the Isles. The races of man were created, but fooled into believing their creator was a good and divine being because she had given them life. But Aradia is a terrible entity far beyond the power of even the Wyrvens of the Void. They believe Aradia exists outside of any realm inhabitable by man or demon and the living races survive upon her skin, drawing magic and energy from her blood. The Void, however, is her twisted mind - a place where magic becomes superior in the hands of the wielder. But a place that bleeds the free will of man and demon alike. A place so terrible even the demons want to leave. The races of man and demon are just playthings to Aradia. No more than ants or parasites that she deigns to let live. The Shatterlight Coven do not worship anything. There is no religion in their community, but they are bound by this belief: The purest magic is that pulled from the soul of one's self. Where most magic is pulled from Aradia's blood, or even the essences that make up her body, the members of the Coven work their very best to draw from their own spiritual well. But the development of such a thing is a difficult path, and requires relying on more conventional types of magic, so the Coven still have not reached their goal of magical purity. In theory, once a user is able to build their own spiritual well and no longer relies on the necessary evils of Aradia, one is capable of god-like deeds. No member of the Coven has reached this level of magical aptitude. Purity of the Bloodlines How this magical purity is obtained must first come through the flesh. Millennia ago, there were three types of elves created by Aradia: The Dawn Elves, the Wildern Elves, and the Obscuran Elves. Over time, these peoples broke apart and went their own ways, creating their own cultures. But a select few from each subrace came together to form a community they called Shatterlight Coven. Their goal was peaceful, joining together the magics each different sort of elf could harness in the mission of learning from each other. They learned their races could be mixed. Stronger, more powerful magic users could be born from the unions of Dawn, Wildern, and Obscuran elves. They realized they held the power of the goddess within them, if only they could harness it. So this community closed themselves off from the world, intent on creating these strong, pure lines of what would come to be known as Wild Elves in later years. But the early generations called themselves the Eventide Elves of Shatterlight Coven. In secluding themselves to focus on their goal, they found themselves in the Wilds of Aradia where they settled and made a home. The homes they crafted from the flesh of Aradia, they imbued with magic. Many necessities of their community were powered by magic. And to protect themselves from the outside world, they also hid their community with magic. And so they remained secluded for thousands of years, forgotten by the world. Forgotten by Aradia. Beneath the Wilds Matter cannot come from nothing. It's in the fundamentals of magic. And thus, even the Eventiders had to mine for minerals beneath the ground. This is where the ancient texts of Shatterlight Coven hold some details on what happened although there are no firm dates. They didn't have to dig far to find the tunnels. Strange tears in the rock that led deep beneath Aradia's skin. And the further the miners went, the stranger the place became. Pockets in the rock were filled with skeletons hewn in strange and ungodly forms. Water was poisonous. The air made the living retch and magic was required to press onwards. Weeks of travel into the depths, the miners-turned-explorers found the rock walls were hot to the touch. And then they found the bodies. These were not skeletal, they were fresh and they were awful. Piled up atop each other, like dolls spilled from a bag, their corpses seeped. Black ichor ran from their decaying faces - terrible amalgamations of flesh, metal and stone. Some even without true substance, only existing in the shadow of a magic light. Aradia had not graced these beings with a design. They came from a wound in the rock, now obsidian. And through it, there was a cavern of water. Still, black. Surrounded by more strange corpses, piled even higher, like they had emerged from the water and sought air but found none. Examination of the bodies proved they were not aquatic beings. An Eventide Elf went into the water, sinking until he felt a strange electricity overcome him. And when he tried to kick to the surface, he came up in another place. A terrible place. The Void. Unfortunately the text is damaged and the fate of this elf is unknown, as are those of the miners with him. Over the centuries, more of these tunnels were discovered. And eventually, the Eventide Elves met demons. The two forces clashed brutally, the demons in no way interested in talking. And the more blood spilled in those tunnels, the more demons came. The Eventiders sealed many tunnels, but others had resources they still needed. So they began to research how to close these strange wounds that led to the evil of Aradia's mind. Unfortunately, the closing required someone on both sides of the wound. So at least one person would be sacrificed to close such a gateway. Often more as few could fight off the demons of the Void with one hand while casting the ritual with the other. Recent History In 700 BE, the Spreading of Obscura began. Already the Wild Elves of Shatterlight Coven had begun experimenting with weather control in their secluded, magically-protected area of the Wilds. As had they already constructed magical walls to keep the Spiders out. Combining these two magics, they were able to pass the Obscura over themselves, creating a greenhouse effect. For seven centuries, the Wild Elves lived in true seclusion with no idea whether the rest of the world had survived. In 40 AE, the ice began to thaw. The spiders came out from their long hibernation, and began their vendetta against the Coven with incredible vigor never seen before. With the ice gone and the spider attacks more and more common, a vast number of the Wild Elves left the Coven. Some came back with stories of Everglow City and houses full of political intrigue, of wars and different races. Others made new lives for themselves among the subjects of these stories, passing themselves off as High, Wood, or Common elves to keep the location of Shatterlight Coven secret. In 144 AE, news came to Shatterlight Coven of demonic entities rising from the water near Everglow City. There was much debate in the Coven whether they should offer aid. But a decision was finally made to welcome back members of the Coven who had previously left, should they wish the safety of the Coven. Few accepted this offer. In 264 AE, another smaller spreading of Obscura took place which the Coven was well prepared for. A few former members accepted the offer of almost a century ago. In 273 AE, the Shatterlight Coven finally had to step up into the Demon War. For once, they and the spiders had a common enemy as unorganized demons began to encroach upon their territories in the Wilds. As a combined force, spiders and the coven decimated the demons. And promptly went back to fighting each other after. To avoid any surprises such as the demons suddenly appearing as they did from happening again, a spy network was set in place across Aradia. In important settlements, Senders were put in place. These were Wild Elves with particular talents for teleporting others - a rare and difficult gift to harness. These Senders were expected to keep themselves within the tenants of the Coven, including forgoing relationships with foreigners. Many Senders took a herb to be sure the temptation of dalliances would not bother them. It became nicknamed Sender's Leaf. As much as they don't want to be disturbed, Shatterlight Coven keeps a close eye on the rest of the world these days. Relationships They exile any who have relations with foreigners, intending to keep their bloodlines strong with magic and Wild Elf genes. Although they deplore outsiders, Shatterlight Coven are open to same-sex relationships within their Wild Elf community. As this will not mar their bloodlines, they believe love is love. Incestuous relationships are reviled as they can lead to the downfall of a precious bloodline and are socially unacceptable. Incestuous relationships of the same gender, if not a direct relation, are not so denounced. Shatterlight Coven do not hold weddings or officiate marriages. They have a ritual called the Binding, instead. Leadership When a new leader is needed, the people hold a Choosing. This involves several days, if not weeks, of deliberation while candidates are put forth. In the meantime, the Elders of the Coven govern if the former leader is not able to. At the end of this deliberation period, all adult members of the Coven are allowed to vote for their preferred candidate. There is no political campaign for each of these candidates and they are generally based on their role in the community and how they have lived their life thus far. This High Enchanter or Enchantress gives up the family they had before. There is nothing prohibiting them from continuing relationships with their loved ones, but it is generally accepted that any reliant members of their family are given new guardians to allow the leader to take care of their entire community without bias. Metheryl has been the leader of Shatterlight Coven since 40 AE. She was Chosen after her father's death. Members Metheryl Arcaena (former High Enchantress) Wynmae Elassore † (exiled) Dironthir (Senate spy) Elder Whitestrike (Everglow City Sender) Niccou (Briochi Sender) Pilkenn (Everglow City Sender) Kiefer (missing) Eiche (missing) Fyrretrae (missing) Nou Dura (missing)